GAFFELS SONNEN HOPFEN, Kölsch

GAFFELS 
SONNEN HOPFEN

Style: Kölsch

Brewed: Privatbrauerei Gaffel Becker & Co

Tested: Bottle, September 2016

I have just realized that after reading my blog, you could get a wrong idea that Germans can’t craft. In fact, it is not true, because craft is not clearly defined term. What is true is the fact that Germans are generally shy of new tastes (in the political-correctness times, you would say that they are traditionalists). After my first years in Germany I have realized one general truth about German way of eating and drinking: when it comes to eating - almost everything is allowed – all around Germany you can easily get food from all around the world; on contrary, when it comes to drinking – locals are very traditional. For a long time, you could easily get any juice you like – given that you like orange or apple. Same goes for beer – you like pils? Yer home. Like weizen. Welcome. Like dark beer or bock, may be problematic. Like any other type pf beer – especially ales? Stouts porter – you are literally fucked!

Yes, I know that Berlin is booming with new breweries and bars. Bavaria rules when it comes to craft beer, but outside of that enclaves you will really have a problem. Finding something original is possible, but far from obvious (and it’s very likely that you will have to waaaalk for your beer). Last week, I have visited Rewe center close to Aachen and have encountered a pils desert…

Literally, big market filled with pils and kölsch…

After 10 minutes of wandering between the shelves I have finally spotted 3 (three!) bottles of Gaffel Sonnen Hopfen. With all respect to German brewing culture. It was the only beer worth my interest. I was really keen on to see what would an addition of American hops (cascade), do to one of the lamest beer styles Kölsch. Would it really be a blast for the style like Schonramer was for the pils?

And the effects are striking. Fresh aroma of hops making your mouth full of saliva. Beautiful color, nice head. Light body and medium carbonation. Tastes mostly of grains, citrus and have a very light hoppy bitterness. It is striking how much and addition of aromatic hops could change in the most boring beer style of the world. Sadly, based on the fact that Gaffel produces this aromatic bomb since 2013 (correct me if I am wrong) and on the fact that I haven’t found any followers – I suppose that the graft of the new hops was rejected by traditional kölsch community and they are doomed to drink the boring stuff over and over.